Use past perfect tense: leading up to it?

Question

Hi. Please answer some questions of mine.

1. He said that it was the most perfect event he had ever seen.

I think (I could be mistaken, though) the word "ever" is used to stress/emphasize that there wasn't any time in the prior time period that he had seen any event as perfect as the event mentioned in the sentence. If we take out the word "ever" and replace it with the phrase "thus far" (and put that phrase at the end of the sentence), I think it would mean pretty much the same. What do you think?

He said that it was the most perfect event he had seen thus far. (so far - OK?)

My other question is this: Does the part "he had ever seen" encompass the time up to the time of transition? (I am not sure I asked correctly to reflect what I wanted to ask.)

2. He tried to change the way he had lived his life thus far.

Does the part "he had lived his life thus far" encompass (lead the time frame involved) up to the time of transition? (Again, I am not sure I have asked correctly to reflect what I wanted to ask.) I also am not sure you would understand what I tried to ask by the question asked. But please try to help.

Dimsumexpress · Accepted Answer

Yes, "ever" works as an intensifier in the perfect environment.

When you refer to a past event, keep in mind that you must keep the reference to time in order.

If you went to a concert last week and you now try to talk about the experience with your friend who didn't make it to the concert. You shoud use the past perfect to describe how great it was. "That was the greatest concert I had ever experienced ...". But now he has.

However, if you just got out of a great concert and you and your friends are still pumped, you can say "Wow, that is the greatest concert I have ever experienced...". The reason for the present perfect is because the experiece is still lingering as you left the concert.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousmost perfect

You can't have degrees of perfection, so this combination is not good. It is not germane to your question, however, so I'm going to ignore it. (most beautiful would work.)

AnonymousIf we take out the word "ever" and replace it with the phrase "thus far" (and put that phrase at the end of the sentence), I think it would mean pretty much the same. What do you think?

He said that it was the most perfect event he had seen thus far.

Yes. Same meaning. so far instead of thus far is fine and also has the same meaning.

Anonymous2. He tried to change the way he had lived his life thus far.

Does the part "he had lived his life thus far" encompass (lead the time frame involved) up to the time of transition?

Your use of "transition" both in this question and in the previous one isn't "talking to me"! I don't understand it. Maybe this will answer it:

"thus far" in both cases takes you up to the time the event in the main clause occurred -- up to the moment "he said" it in the first case, and up to the moment "he tried" in the second. "thus far" should not be taken to mean "up to the moment this sentence is uttered" because the main clause has a past tense.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you.

He said that it was the most perfect event he had ever seen.

I think for the above sentence, which I wrote in the starting post, it can be said that the following sentence would have a similar meaning or pretty much has the same effect in terms of what it tries to say, although it would be unusal to see this kind of sentence without the word "ever" (I think it is an adverb - not sure, though) or the phrase "thus far" or "so far." What do you think?

Like this:

He said that it was the most perfect event he had seen.

He tried to change the way he had lived his life thus far.

For this, I have this additional question: Do you think the meaning of the sentence would be similar or possibly be the same if we took out the word "thur far" from the above sentence I wrote in the starting post?

Like this:

He tried to change the way he had live his life.

I am sorry but I have one more question: Would you say for the following sentence, the past tense "only grew" can be used instead of "had only grown"?

She didn't deny the fact that she had only grown worse.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousHe said that it was the most perfect event he had ever seen.

I think for the above sentence, which I wrote in the starting post, it can be said that the following sentence would have a similar meaning or pretty much has the same effect in terms of what it tries to say, although it would be unusual to see this kind of sentence without the word "ever" (I think it is an adverb [ yes ] - not sure, though) or the phrase "thus far" or "so far." What do you think?

Like this:

He said that it was the most perfect event he had seen.

I think the same thing that you do. All of that sounds reasonable.

AnonymousHe tried to change the way he had lived his life thus far.

For this, I have this additional question: Do you think the meaning of the sentence would be similar or possibly be the same if we took out the word "thus far" from the above sentence I wrote in the starting post?

Like this:

He tried to change the way he had lived his life.

Yes. Same meaning.

AnonymousWould you say for the following sentence, the past tense "only grew" can be used instead of "had only grown"?

She didn't deny the fact that she had only grown worse.

Yes, you can use the simple past instead of the past perfect there. I myself rather like the past perfect in these cases, but that is just a personal preference.

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Thank you, CalifJim, for your help. My thanks extend to dimsumexpress, too.

Use past perfect tense: leading up to it?

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